Signboard



Oct. 14 1924. 1,511,429v

J. SCHENKER SIGNBOARD Filed Jan. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l f 71, verdor fof/DH JCHE/v/ff@ 763W@ pg@ Oct. 14 1924. 1,511,429

J. SCHENKER smNBoARD Filed Jan. 8.--1923 2 sheets-sneu 2 [rz Ven or lbf/DH Jef/@wm /4 Y Tv-OPNE v5 Patented ct. 14, 1924.

UNITE STATES JQSEPH SCHENKER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SIGNBOARD.

Application led January 8, 1923.

Be it known that I, J osnPH SCHENKER, a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signboards, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sign-boards and is more particularly directed to the provision of a sign-board which is of the type adapted to be employed for advertising purposes and erected along highways, railroad rights-ofway, etc. Such sign-boards must be of such construction as to resist high wind pressures and must be braced, preferably without disfiguring the appearance of the signboard. Furthermore, a desirable feature of such sign-boards is to permit the employment of one or more panels which compose the display surface. Such panels are preferably demountable without destruction of the frame and each may be made a component part of a single advertisement and be assembled to present a unitary panel structure.

The object therefore of this invention is to provide an improved sign-board.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the objects of the invention but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made withinl the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear of the sign-board with the underground supports shown in full lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2v2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the front of the positioned sign-board; and

Figure l is a cross-sectional view on the line 1 -4 of Figure 1.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here disclosed, the sign-board includes broadly a pair of spaced uprights adapted to be supported in the ground or other base and joined by a pair of opposed horizontal frame members which cooperate with the Serial No. 611,424.

uprights to provide a rectangular frame. Broadly, the portions of the sign-board intermediate the uprights are provided with hangers which are supported by struts to provide a trussed structure.

The uprights 11 and 12 are similar and but one need be described in detail. For example, the lower end of the upright -12 is received within a recess upwardly presented by the sill 13. This sill is, in turn, mounted upon a lower sill 14: which is secured thereto and preferably extends at right angles thereto. The diagonal braces 15 are secured at their lower ends to the outer portions of the lower sill 14 and, upwardly converging, are secured to the adjacent upright. The diagonal braces 16 are likewise secured to the outer portions of the upper sill 13 and to opposite portions of the uprights which are here shown as rectangular in cross-section. These braced sill structures and the corresponding portion of the uprights are preferably embedded in the ground as is suggested by the ground-line 1T in Figures 1 and 2.' The uprights are thus strongly braced against the usual wind pressures from various directions.

These spaced uprights are preferably made of relatively strong material, such` as heavy wood, and upwardly extend above the ground to form the upright or vertical sides of the sign-board framework. The form of sign-board here shown is rectangular and the top and bottom are formed by the horizontal frame members or beams; 18 and 19. These beams are terminally received within recesses opposedly provided by the uprights as is shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1. The preferred means of locking these beams and uprights together into a unitary frame is by means of the relatively long bolts 21 adapted to project through a boring extending transversely through the upright and longitudinally into the adjacent beam end portion as is shown in the detail View, Figure 4. The inner end portion of the beam boring extends through an angularly shaped recess 22 adapted to receive the nut 23' and to prevent its rotative movement therein. The bolt 21 may therefore be inserted through the upright and beam borings and engage the nut 23 so that the two parts are securely held in assembled relation. The four corners are Similarly assembled and held.

A pair of hangers are preferably supported in spaced relation intermediate the uprights, in substantial parallelism therewith,

-and are connected to the horizontal beams 18 and 19. These hangers are supported by diagonal struts from the uprights and anchored in rigid spaced relation by one or more horizontal struts. The hanger 24 and the hanger 25 are similar and each is of a length upwardly to extend from the lower beam 18 to a point above the upper frame beam 19. j j l The'hanger 24, at itsk portion opposite the beam 19 to which it is preferably screwed or nailed as indicated, is provided with an inwardly and upwardly inclined .recess which terminates in a downwardly presented shoulder. The upper end' portion kof the strut is correspondingly tapered in order to be seated inthe recess of the uprightand its reduced end rests beneath the shoulder whereby the hanger is supported in a substantially suspended relation. The lower end of the. strut 26 is provided with an inclined or beveled face so that the lower end portion of the strut may be received within a lower recess in the upright whereby the strut 26 is supported in its diagonal position. The other strut 27 is likewise supported by theuupright 1,1 and, in turn, supports the hanger 25. These diagonal struts would normally tend to thrust the upper portions of the two hangers and hence a compressive member such as a horizontal strut 28 is positioned between the two hangers: adjacent their upper ends. This horizontal strut 28 terminally .abutsk against the opposed faces of the two hangers which are preferably rectangular in cross-section. f The various traine members lmay be secured together by screws or nails as is suggested in Figure 1. While the display surface of this sign board may be made of a single panel, it is preerableto provide a plurality of panels. Three such panels 31, 32 and 33 are here shown. These panels may be or' sheet material or, as is preferred, oi ceiling boards of commercial form which are dovetailed together to form a` unit. These units are of a vertical dimension so that they may be received between the relatively wide beams 18 and 19. A backing bar 34C, ot less width than the beam 18, is nailed thereto adjacent the rear portion oi' the upper surface and `extends longitudinally of the bea-nr This bar provides a stop against which the lower marginal portion of the panel may rest and be supported as is indicated in Figures 1 and 2. The side backing bars 35 and 36 are similarly secured to the uprights 11 and 12, while the bar 37 is likewise secured to the upper beam 19. These backing bars may be secured or nailed in assembled position.

Each panel has secured thereto adjacent its upper and lower margin a bar 38 similar the backing bars 3l and 37 so as to provide means for interlocking the panel and 1 play frame. The bars 38 are spaced from the upper and lower edges of the panels a, distance substantially equal to the height of the backing bars 34 and 37. These bars may be screwed or nailed together, when the panels. are assembled to present a unitary display surface, as is indicated in Figure 2. It may be noted that the side bars 35 and 36 are shortened so as to permit the insertion of the end portions of the bars 38 between the side bars 35 and BGa-nd the backingbars4 311 and 37.

A bracing bar is also preferably carried;- by each panel intermediatel its upper and lower margins so that it extends in a horizontal direction when thepanels, are secured in assembled. relation. For example, the panel. 31 has secured thereto the vbracing bar 39 which, when the panel is inl position, extends irom a. recessin the side bar35 of the uprightl to the middle portionof the Jliront tace of the hanger 25. A bolt e1. may secure the bar 39 to the diagonal strut 27 while the inner end is likewise bolted' to the hanger 25. The bracing bar 4:2 of the middle panel 32 is also bolted at one end to the hanger 25 and extending horizontally across is bolted at its other end to the other hanger 241:;y while the bracing bar t3 of the panel 33 is bolted to the hanger 2l andy terminally received in a recess in the other. side 36. These horizontal barsl function as struts toy maintain theA uprights and hangers in rigid and reinforcedi spaced relation and prevent distortion oi? the sign-board by wind pressure.

lifter the several panelsl are secured in assembled relation to the sign-board frame.; a molding Il isnailed or screwed tothe beams 18 and19 and the uprights 35 and 3 6 aroundthe front margin ofthe panels to aid, in holding the panels in position. VAnd, this molding may be of thequarter-roimd commercial form shown in `the drawings to present a more pleasing appearance to the dissurtace ol the sign-board.

An auxiliary sign-board is provided by the upward extension of the hangers 24: and 25 above the upper horizontal frame member o'lf beam 19. .As shown, this auxiliary board is formed with aV trame which is rectangular, the upper horizontal capi member being provided by the bar L15 while the sides are provided by the two strips 46 and 47. The elongated rectangular panel 48 is also provided with upper and lower marginal backing bars L19 adapted to be suitably secured to the bar 115 and beam 19 respectively.

There is thus provided a durable reinforced sign-beard. The emplacement of the strengthened sill structure completely un-V derground avoids the necessity for disflguring surface braces now commonly usedby advertising service companies. The employment of the truss tormof framework imiis ist

parts inherent rigidity tothe structure and the interlocking of the diagonal struts into the sides of the uprights and hangers prevents the entire trame from sagging in its center portion and obviates the necessity for center uprights. Furthermore, the provision of the removable panel structure permits a more economical use of this novel structure.

l claim as my invention:

l. i sign board including uprights at either end, said uprights being anchored beneath the top of the ground, a plurality of panels between said uprights, the middle panel having on either side a hanger, struts extending from said hangers to said supports to support said hangers, a. beam extending between said supports for supporting the lower end of said hangers and panels between said supports and said hangers, and a panel between the hangers.

2. A sign board including uprights at either end thereof extending below the surtace ot the ground and anchored therein, and an upper and a lower beam, the latter above the surface of the ground and both supported by said supports, hangers extending from the lower beam to points above the upper beam, struts extending from the supports diagonally one to each hanger, braces extending horizontally from the supports to the hangers, and panels between the supports and the hangers and between the hangers.

3. A. sign-board including' a pair of spaced uprights extending beneath the surface of the ground and having anchors to prevent being blown down by the wind, a pair of spaced horizontal frame members extending between and terminally secured to the uprights to iform a substantially rectangular .trame therewith, intermediate hangers ex tending between said frame members and adapted to be positioned in substantial parallelism with the uprights and connected to the horizontal members, and diagonal struts, the lower end of each strut being received within a recess in an upright and the upper end of each strut being received within a recess in the upper portion of each hanger whereby the hangers are hung from the uprights and held in spaced relation by said horizontal frame members.

4. A, sign-board including` a pair of spaced uprights extending beneath the surface of the ground and having anchors beneath said siur'face to prevent being blown down by the wind, a pair of spaced horizontal frame members extending between and terminally secured to the uprights to form a substantially rectangular frame therewith, intermediate hangers terminating at their lower ends above the surface of the ground and adapted to be positioned in substantial parallelism with the uprights and connected to the horizontal members, diagonal struts, each strut being supported at its lower end by an upright and adapted to support a hanger at its upper end whereby a trussed sign-board is provided, and a horizontal reinforcing frame member intermediate said spaced horizontal frame member and connected to the uprights, struts, and hangers.

5. sign-board including a pair of spaced uprights extending beneath the surface of the ground and having anchors at their lower ends to prevent being blown down by the wind, a pair of spaced horizontal frame members extending between and terminally secured to the uprights to form a substantially rectangular iframe therewith, intermediate hangers terminating above the ground at their lower ends and adapted to be positioned in substantial parallelism with the uprights and connected to the horizontal members, diagonal struts, each strut being supported at its lower end by an upright and adapted to support a hanger at its upper end whereby a trussed sign-board is provided, and an auxiliary sign-board trame provided by an upward extension ot the hangers above the upper horizontal frame member.

6. A sign board including uprights extending` below the surface and anchored to prevent the sign board being blown down by the wind, upper and lower horizontal beams between the uprights, hangers extending trom the lower beam upwardly above the upper beam, diagonal struts extending irom the vertical supports to the upper part ot the hangers, panels between the supports and hangers and between the hangers, and horizontal bracing bars, attached to said struts, hangers and upright supports.

7. A sign-board including uprights, horizontal frame members carried by the uprights in spaced relation to provide a frame, a display-surface panel adapted to be received within the space defined by the uprights and frame members, and bars on the back of the panel adjacent its margin and adapted to be secured to the frame members whereby the panel may be removed without injury to the frame.

8. A sign-board including uprights, horizontal frame members carried by the uprights in spaced relation to provide a trame, backing bars carried by the uprights and members on their inner faces adjacent the rear thereof, a display-surface panel adapted to be received within the space defined by the uprights and frame members and marginally to abut against said backing bars, and means to secure the panel to the backing bars.

9. A sign-board including uprights, horizontal frame members carried by the uprights in spaced relation to provide a trame, backing bars carried by the uprights and llO members 0n their inner faces adjacent the rear thereof, a plurality of display-surface panels adapted to he received Within the space delined by the uprights and Jframe members and marginally to abut against said backing bars, and bars on Jche back of the panels spaced from the marginal edges thereof a distance at least equal to the Width offtliebacking hars whereby the enter faces ofthe panel bars may rest against'ztheinner 10 faces of the backing bars, and means-t0 secure the panel bars t0 the backing hars.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set 

